Serial Hamster Doll Gifter
Him/HerThe moment Joohyun entered the campus, her admirers almost flung themselves at her just to hand her their love letters. She did not once glance at them.
However, she could not help but give Seulgi and Joy—whom were dating—a disgusted look, when she saw them holding hands and kissing in the hallway.
“Get a room already.”
“Don’t be jealous, unnie.” Joy replied, not letting go of Seulgi’s hand.
“Not at all.”
“Unnie, you just gotta date someone!” Seulgi said, as if finding a compatible partner was an easy task. Although it was questionable as to whether Seulgi and Joy were considered “compatible.”
“Ah, yes, the elusive Seungwan.” Joy reminded Seulgi for the hundredth time. If looks could kill, Joy would have died numerous times in Joohyun’s hands.
“Who that who that who that boy?” Yerim, a first year and recent addition to their social circle, asked.
Joohyun avoided answering her question. She did not want another person to tell her how silly and naive she was, for believing that she would meet Seungwan again.
**
The day Joohyun met Seungwan was a distant memory, but she vividly remembered every detail of him, as brief as their interaction was.
Joohyun was on her way home from the library. It was a short walk in a safe neighborhood, so her parents trusted her to do it on her own.
Everything was fine, until...
“Meow.”
Joohyun was two blocks away from her house when a cat appeared in front of her. It was huge; its length was almost to her waist.
Tears fall from Joohyun’s eyes. She was deadly frightened of animals. Her legs felt like jelly; she sat down in the middle of the streets since they could not longer support her.
Admist her panic, a tiny blue figure rushed past her towards the cat.
“Shoo! Amanda, go home!” A boyish voice rang out of the tiny figure.
Like that, the cat was gone.
Impressed, Joohyun looked at the person who just saved her from the fluff of terror.
He was shorter than Joohyun, wearing a simple white T-shirt and a pair of denim shorts, surprisingly stylish and mature for his age. He wore a cap with a blue jay on it, but it could not hide how messy his hair was, like he had just woken up. He carried a backpack, which looked like it was about to explode due to how full it was.
The boy turned his attention to Joohyun. He knelt down in front of Joohyun and stared into her eyes, concerned. His eyes were so bright and clear, like stars in the night sky.
“Are you alright?”
She nodded.
He smiled upon her response and gave her a hand and helped her up. What a warm smile he had.
“I’ll walk you home.”
They walked side by side silently. Soon, they had arrived at her house.
“This is my house.”
It was time to say goodbye.
“Wait!”
The boy suddenly knelt down and started rummaging through his backpack.
“Here.”
He placed a hamster stuff toy in Joohyun’s arms.
“What is this?”
“Me!”
It did resemble him, with the round cheeks and general adorableness. A blue ribbon was tied around its tail.
If Joohyun had to guess his favorite color, blue would be her choice.
“It will keep you safe from the cats!”
Once again, he smiled brightly at Joohyun. She could not help but return one of her own.
“Thanks.”
Joohyun pecked his cheeks before quickly entering her house. She wanted to thank him. Although she would admit that his adorable face was the main reason for the kiss.
Stunned, the boy almost forgot to tell Joohyun his name.
“My name is Seungwan!”
The name imprinted itself into her mind.
She saw Seungwan every time she went to the library. He would walk with her back to her house.
When summer ended, he just disappeared. She was devastated. She had gotten attached to him and the sense of security he represented.
But she could never forget Seungwan. He was everything she wanted: caring, brave, and cute; the last aspect was a personal preference of hers. His eyes, his smile, his personality... She just loved them all.
Some hero worship never hurt anyone.
**
Yerim looked stumped after she finished listening the story and absorbing the information. It was, to her and many people, a horrifying thought that Joohyun was immensely obsessed with Seungwan. They met over a decade ago as children!
“So you’re telling me, you met this boy a few times, and you’re hopelessly in love with him?”
“Yeah.”
“And you don’t see anything wrong with it?”
Joohyun shook her head. Seungwan saved her life, after all. Cats were terrifying.
“I don’t even know where to start... Where were your parents during that time? Isn't that child neglect?”
“How would I know?” Irene replied a non-answer.
Seulgi patted Yerim’s shoulder, as an act of comfort and persuasion for her to give up.
Even the bear understood.
**
While Joohyun did not reunite with Seungwan in this new school year, she met someone new, which was uncommon due to her lack of interest for socializing. The first time they met was during the second week of school.
Joohyun was on her way back to her classroom from the cafeteria after lunch. As she was turning around the corner of the stairs, she barely saw a girl reading a map upside down before crashing into her.
Much to her surprise, she was not affected from the impact, but the girl she ran into fell onto the ground.
“Are you alright?”
The girl looked embarrassed and bowed and apologized few times before leaving.
After her departure, Joohyun noticed a blue notebook lying on the ground. She picked it up and identified the name written on the cover, which was conveniently accompanied by the class name.
“Wendy...”
Joohyun was in a good mood today. She decided to return it to Wendy herself, rather than having Seulgi, who was in the same year as the girl, do it.
It helped that the girl seemed rather cute.
Joohyun loved cute things.
**
Arriving at the classroom, Joohyun waltzed in as she spotted her target—Wendy, whom was rummaging through her backpack, seemingly in distress. She fawned over the adorable pout Wendy had.
Joohyun tapped on Wendy’s shoulder, gaining her attention.
Wendy turned around when she felt the touch. Her eyes almost fell out when she saw the notebook in her hands.
Joohyun could hardly suppress her laughter upon seeing her facial expression. She handed the notebook to Wendy.
Wendy thanked her and held the notebook tightly in her embrace, like it was an invaluable treasure. She explained that an assignment due today was written in it.
“Well then, I’m glad you got it back.”
“Thank you again.”
“Not a problem.”
Before Joohyun could leave, Wendy stopped her with a question.
“May I know you name?”
“Bae Joohyun. Third year.”
“I’m Wendy.”
“I know.”
Joohyun pointed at her notebook; Wendy lowered her head and saw the name labeled on it.
“Oh.”
Joohyun thought Wendy was adorable when she was embarrassed. She was disappointed that this would likely be the only interaction she and Wendy would have. Given that they were in different years, they would not have mutual friends either.
This would be the first time Joohyun had wished that she was wrong.
Luckily, she was.
**
“Joohyun unnie!”
Joohyun heard her name being called out when she was nearing her house. It did not sound like either of the two demons or the bear. She turned around curiously.
“Heading home, Wendy?”
“I live here.” Wendy gestured towards the house next to Irene’s.
“That’s awesome!”
Joohyun could not contain her excitement. Beaming, she bid goodbye to Wendy. She did not understand why she was so happy, but she hoped it was not strange to feel so affectionate towards someone she had just met. She did have a history of getting over-attached in a short period of time.
Being neighbors with Wendy would help grow their budding relationship, as they would be able to meet every day; they surely would be close friends in no time.
But Joohyun did not expect the younger girl to be so forgetful and clumsy.
The realization came to her the day after.
**
Before leaving home for school, Joohyun was at the porch, tying her shoes and checking her appearance in the mirror when she hear knocks coming from the front door. She was wary because it was uncommon for people to be visiting in the morning on a weekday.
She opened the door cautiously, revealing a kind-looking older woman, whom was carrying a lunch bag.
“Good morning. Are you Joohyun, by any chance?” The woman asked.
She nodded.
“My daughter Wendy, bless her soul, forgot to bring her lunch when she left.”
Joohyun concluded that the woman was Wendy’s mother. She chuckled at the woman’s words.
“If it isn’t too much trouble, could you bring these to school?”
“No problem.”
“Thank you so much!”
She concluded that Wendy’s enthusiasm was genetic.
**
Joohyun laughed when she saw Wendy’s surprised face, once again, with wide open and cheeks blushing, as she placed her lunch bag and phone on her desk.
“I’m surprised you remembered your backpack.” She teased the younger girl.
Wendy was really adorable when she was embarrassed.
And Wendy apparently did not have her backpack with her the next day.
“You’re lucky you’re cute.” She told Wendy and sighed, but it did not hide her smile.
**
By now, Joohyun had been expecting to visit Wendy’s house every day before leaving for school. She had speculated that the younger girl was doing it on purpose, but seeing how apologetic she was every time, she stopped doubting the truth to her forgetfulness.
However, today, when she rang the doorbell of Wendy’s house, she was greeted by Wendy, instead of her mother. She was then handed a blue paper box.
“What is this?”
“It’s a gift!”
“It’s not something weird, right?”
“No! Of course not!”
“Do I open it now?”
Wendy considered the options.
“Open it during lunch.”
**
There were two things that should not happen at the same place and at the same time: 1) opening Wendy’s gift, and 2) be in the vicinity of Seulgi, Joy, or Yerim.
“Unnie! May I have one, please?”
Seulgi was referring to the pastries in the box Wendy gave her. Joohyun generally was not overprotective of her food. In fact, she liked sharing her food with the girls, whom always acted like they were starved for days.
“No.“
Joohyun was not fond of the idea of sharing Wendy’s gift with anyone.
Seulgi looked devastated by her answer. She had already eaten, but she was still hungry.
“But why?”
“They’re mine.”
It was not a particularly good reason, but no one would dare to argue with her.
Seulgi rested her chin on the table and alternated between staring at the box and Joohyun.
She did not budge.
“I’m going to find Sooyoung.” Seulgi huffed and left to find her girlfriend.
Food was the only reason that could cause Seulgi to be irritated.
And sometimes Joy.
**
Joohyun stopped by Wendy’s classroom after school, hoping to catch the girl before she left so they could walk home together.
Walking side by side, Joohyun listened to Wendy talk about her day. It suddenly occurred to her that this was likely the first time they actually had a real conversation together.
Wendy abruptly stopped her speech, noticing her companion’s silence. Joohyun looked at her curiously, only to be met with the younger girl’s guilty face.
“What happened?” Joohyun asked.
“I talk too much.”
Joohyun did not understand why that was a bad thing. She liked listening to Wendy talk. She would gladly have more conversations with the girl.
“I don’t mind it at all.”
So Wendy continued, and she listened and inserted comments at times.
Before they parted, Joohyun remembered her purpose for walking home with Wendy.
“By the way, thank you for the gift.”
“It’s nothing much, compared to how much you’ve helped me!”
Wendy smiled shyly, and Joohyun felt her heart melt.
Joohyun ruffled Wendy’s hair affectionately and surprised the girl; she looked so adorable with her new hairstyle—it was debatable whether a bird nest could be considered a hairstyle.
Satisfied with her handiwork, the culprit snuck off while the stunned girl was still in a daze.
“I’ll bake more for you!”
Joohyun heard Wendy yell before entering her house.
**
Perhaps it was because of the pastries, Joohyun started spending more time with Wendy. The pair walked together from home to school, and vice versus.
Almost every day, Wendy would give Joohyun a blue box full of homemade food before entering school.
“What is this for?”
“To brighten up your day!”
Staring at Wendy, Joohyun thought the girl must have been overloaded with cuteness when she was born.
**
Seulgi eyed the blue box she was carrying. She had not given up on trying to steal a bite of the pastries.
“No.”
Joohyun would not change her mind.
“What is so special about them that you can’t share with us?”
What was special about Wendy’s gift? Joohyun never thought about it. She just knew that whenever she looked at the box, she was reminded of how kind of a person Wendy was. She could not help but smile upon thinking about the younger girl.
“Nothing.”
It definitely was not “nothing,” like Joohyun had said. She felt weirdly protective—or even possessive—towards anything about Wendy. Her friends had not even had the chance to meet her—Joohyun did not want them to. Wendy was a little secret that she wanted to kept to herself. Her friends would only ruin the moments they share.
“You don’t sound or look too sure.” Joy quipped about her smile.
“The only thing I’m sure about is that I won’t share with you guys.”
Seulgi groaned in disappointment. Joy and Yerim convinced her to go the cafeteria instead, as it was clear that thet were not going to receive any food from Joohyun.
Joohyun was left alone in peace. She enjoyed the silence and food.
**
Over the weekend, Joohyun decided to go out for a walk, seeing as the weather was an almost perfect fall weather. It was breezy, but not too much so. The sunset was a burning bonfire; she wanted to take pictures of the sky.
When she left the house, she saw Wendy sweeping leaves in the front yard. She called out the girl’s name to get her attention.
“Do you wanna go for a walk?”
“Sure!”
Wendy suggested that they visit the park in the neighborhood. Joohyun agreed.
Joohyun would regret her decision quite soon. While the park was a beautiful construction and great for walking, it was not limited to humans. Pets, especially dogs, were welcomed to use the facility as well.
**
The atmosphere of the park was peaceful. They were having a conversation about school while seated on a bench.
Suddenly, like Jill in Resident Evil 3, Joohyun heard the noise that accompanied Nemesis’s appearance; she heard the barks coming from a distance. Like Jill, she saw her Nemesis: a tiny, white Maltese. Sensing the “danger,” she screamed and ran away, abandoning Wendy at the bench.
She did not see that Wendy had caught the tiny white fluff, whom was named...
“Haetnim!”
**
Joohyun was crouched near a bush under a tree. If passersby had seen her, they would have thought she was Sadako.
She felt ashamed. She knew by the sounds of the dog, it was a tiny one. She could have braved it out. Instead, she left Wendy all alone. Knowing the younger girl, she was probably running around searching for her; she would be extremely worried.
Joohyun sighed. She was such a bad friend.
“Unnie?”
She flinched at the sudden voice. She was not expecting Wendy to find her so quickly.
“Are you alright?”
Jooyhyun looked up at her and nodded, and then shook her head again.
Wendy nodded in sympathy. She extended her hand towards Joohyun to pull her up.
“Come on. I’ll walk you home.”
A realization hit Joohyun and her face was frozen with fear.
“What’s wrong?”
“There’s only one way out of this park.”
It meant that they would likely meet the dog, and possibly other dogs on their way back.
Wendy just squeezed Joohyun’s hand in hers, as if to give her reassurance and protection.
“Don’t worry. I’ll keep you safe.”
**
It was another day with the squad, chilling in an empty classroom during lunch.
It was the typical scene: Seulgi and Joy flirting with each other, Yerim stuffing herself with food recklessly, and Joohyun gagging at Joygi...
Maybe not.
In fact, she was staring at Seulgi and Joy with admiration and sighing a lot. She was not screaming at them.
Yerim was freaked out by the display of her behavior.
“Joohyun unnie, do you need to go to the hospital?”
“Huh?”
“You are not yelling at them for being gross! You must be sick? Oh no...”
There was no fault to her reasoning, but that was not the reason behind Joohyun’s behavior.
“I’m not sick!”
“Oh, yes, she is.”
Joy, who was done with being disgusting with Seulgi, joined the conversation.
“Why kind of sickness?” Seulgi asked.
“The best kind—lovesick.”
Joohyun just thought everyone, excluding her, had gone crazy. How could she be lovesick, when there was no one she could be in love with?
“It’s your little Smurf.”
Now Joy was talking about some imaginary characters. She was definitely crazy.
“You don’t get to look at me like I’m insane. The pastry friend!”
“But Seungwan—“
“Is not here. Nor will he ever be.”
Was Joohyun really in love with Wendy? Could she give up on Seungwan so easily? He was her hero.
“You know, I’m never wrong.”
“That is true. I can attest to it.” Seulgi added, full of admiration towards her girlfriend.
Their couple-y act was starting to annoy her.
“I need to go.”
**
Joohyun’s brain was a mess. Joy’s words has confused her so much.
Could she give up on Seungwan so easily? Should she give up on him?
Was she actually, like Joy said, in love with Wendy? Or was it because Wendy was always here for her, and she felt a reliance on her, like she did Seungwan? Would Wendy even like her?
She had dreamt to be with Seungwan before, but now when she reimagined the scenes, they were all filled with Wendy. Her smile, her clumsiness, her tenderness... She could only see Wendy.
She would be lying if she did not feel guilty for forgetting and replacing Seungwan with Wendy so easily. After all, the boy had occupied her mind for so long.
But Wendy was so different. She connected with her so easily. It was terrifying and refreshing at the same time. She loved that she had found someone whom understood her well.
Joohyun’s thoughts were interrupted by the subject on her mind, as Wendy had come to find her when she did not show up at their meet-up spot after school.
“Unnie?”
“Don’t talk to me.”
It was not a good time. Joohyun was emotionally overwhelmed.
Wendy’s shocked facial expression could make her laugh if she did not know it was her harsh words that caused it.
“I’m sorry. I’m just a mess right now.”
Wendy nodded, but her stance stiff.
Joohyun did not know where she gained her confidence from. But when she saw her, she knew she felt something for Wendy.
“Let me tell you a story.”
She told her the story of Seungwan and the hamster.
Even if she were blind, she could notice the changes in Wendy’s facial expressions and mood. She waited for Wendy to speak.
“That is a familiar story.”
Of all the things, this was not what Joohyun expected her to say. It was not an exaggeration to say that her brain short-circuited.
“How so?”
Wendy pulled up a picture on her phone.
“How...”
It was the same doll that Seungwan had given Joohyun.
“I used to have this doll.”
No.
If Wendy had the same doll, it meant that Joohyun was never special to Seungwan. The boy was just a serial-hamster-doll-gifter; he went around gifting dolls to everyone! He was simple a cause of devastation to her.
“Would you like to meet Seungwan?”
Surely, Joohyun would, so she could scream at him for making her wait all these years and believing in him.
Though it was her own fault, really. It was she who thought they had a deep connection.
“Sure.”
“Meet me at the tree at the park. Say, 6?”
“Sure.”
Nothing mattered anymore.
After Wendy left, Joohyun realized she had not told Wendy about her feelings. The fact that Seungwan just went around gifting stuff toys shocked her. How did she become so obsessed with him?
How pathetic she was.
**
Nevertheless, Joohyun went to the park as promised. Wendy arrived a few minutes after she did. The younger girl was alone, much to her bewilderment.
“Hey!” Wendy greeted.
Joohyun glanced at the entrance of the park, as if expecting someone else to show up.
“Where’s Seungwan?”
“Would you like to make a guess?”
Many thoughts crossed her mind. None of them were pleasant. In fact, they were the absolute worst case scenarios.
“He’s dead. Isn’t he?”
“No! This isn’t a Korean drama!”
“Amnesia?”
“I just said, this isn’t a Korean drama.”
“Cancer?”
“Dude.”
“I’ll argue that it could’ve been a Japanese drama.”
“Anyway, the answer is still no.”
Since Korean and Japanaese were out of the question—or rather, answer—Joohyun had to think outside of the box.
“Oh no. He’s your boyfriend!”
Wendy’s face was twitching in disgust. Why would she feel disgusted at the mention of him being her boyfriend?
That could only mean one thing.
“Is he your brother?”
“Believe it or not, I would say that is the closest answer.”
“I got it.”
She really did.
“He’s your cousin.”
She had never felt so proud of her critical thinking.
The other girl sighed and decided to change her tactic.
“Do you know my name?”
“You’re Wendy.”
Wendy shook her head.
“My name is Shon Seungwan.”
“Oh. I didn’t know that. What does it have to do with this?”
Upon hearing her response, Wendy, for once, looked annoyed.
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because my name is Seungwan?”
“But that’s a boy’s name.”
“I am aware of that, and so do my parents.”
No.
Wendy could not have possibly meant what Joohyun was thinking.
“You don’t mean...”
“Absolutely.”
If this were a dream, she hoped no one would ever wake her up. What were the chances that Seungwan and Wendy turned out to be the same person?
“You’re not lying to me, right?”
“What do I even gain from that?”
“The Joy of Pranking.”
“Is that a spin-off to The Joy of Painting?”
This was getting way off-topic.
“Well, what are you gonna say to ‘him’ when you are reunited?”
Wendy put air-quotes around “him,” signifying Joohyun’s fatal error at misidentifying Seungwan as a boy.
“The same thing I was going to tell you—Wendy—this afternoon, when I finally figured out my feelings.”
“And that is?”
“I just really like you.”
Joohyun sounded shy, but still struck dead center with her confession.
It also shocked Wendy to no end.
“What—what are you talking about!”
“I like you?”
She spoke as if repeating the same phrase would make Wendy blush less.
“You like me, too, don’t you?”
“I mean...”
“I’m special to you, am I not?”
“Definitely.”
“So, you like me.”
Wendy nodded. As embarrassed as she was, she could not lie about her feelings. Also, what was the point in asking the question, when the response will always be “yes,” no matter who was answering?
“Cool. Starting form today, you’re my girlfriend.”
“What?”
“Do you disagree?”
“I mean, I don’t?”
“See? Problem solved.”
After the emotional roller coaster from earlier, Joohyun was surprised by how smoothly this had gone. Even more so, she was impressed by herself, by her confidence and how well her words came out.
“Girlfriend, let’s go.”
Wendy let Joohyun grab her hand and drag her to who-knows-where.
It felt nice.
They fit well.
But where was Joohyun taking her?
**
Joohyun brought Wendy to meet her friends. It would have been a great idea, if she did not discover another truth.
“Seungwan!”
“Seul?”
How did Joohyun not know they knew each other? In addition to that, they were childhood friends. Seulgi must have known her Seungwan and her friend were the same person.
Seulgi should like, die, right now.
“Freaking Kang Seulgi...” Joohyun growled too loudly.
Yerim had disappeared from the battlefield, leaving Joy to deal with the older girl.
“It’s more likely that she actually didn’t know, rather than purposefully hiding the truth from you.”
She hated when Joy was right.
And she was always right.
“I’m still gonna kill her.”
Joy shrugged.
“Whatever suits you.”
**
“Did you know Joohyun unnie thought kid-me was a boy?”
“Oh, we all know she has terrible eyesight.”
“KANG SEULGI!”
“Rest in peace—pieces, my love.”
Video credit: Yerim’s Instagram story.
**
Yes, Irene is crazy.
Thanks for reading.
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